Search results for: nissan
LA 2011: Nissan Reveals NV Food Truck Concepts
OK, now we’re hungry. Nissan has brought a couple food truck concepts, based on its NV2500 High Roof commercial van, to the LA Auto Show.
Comparison Test: BMW 1-Series M vs. Porsche Cayman R vs. Nissan GT-R
A car that you can drive to work, drive to dinner, and drive on the track on a Saturday. That is, in essence, a brief for very high performance sports cars which automakers have been trying to make good on since the very beginning of motoring. We think that we’ve found three modern cars that do a very good job filling the needs of the road/track set, but at three very different price points.
Model Evolution: Nissan Z
Quite arguably the most iconic Japanese import of all time, the Nissan Z has been in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts since the first 240Z came to our shores back in 1970.
Blog: A Night With The Nissan Leaf
My evening with the Leaf revealed a few different things. It will deliver near-as-makes-no-difference 100 miles of pure electric power, meaning it’ll do exactly what Nissan advertises. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some caveats though.
Nissan Announces GT-R-Powered Juke-R
Okay, no, Nissan is not planning to offer a production version of the Juke-R. Which is sad, because we like biturbocharged, V-6-powered, all-wheel-drive-equipped, 500-plus-horsepower small crossovers. A lot. At least the two examples being built will be road legal, but still, don’t expect to pick up a Juke-R this time next year.
Driven: 2012 Nissan Versa
As a small car, the Nissan Versa does everything it needs to do. It features oodles of room for three people in the back, is exceptionally affordable (base cars start at $10,990), and delivers admirable fuel economy (38 highway and 30 in the city). Opt for the SL trim (which is what we’ve been testing) and you even get steering-wheel audio controls, an iPod interface, and an optional navigation system. As a pragmatic means of transportation, the Versa is truly hard to beat.
Comparison Test: Mini Cooper S Countryman All4 vs. Nissan Juke AWD
Too often our characterizations of the cars we drive are heavily influenced by the way those cars look. My use of “our” here is fairly inclusive, with auto writers, enthusiasts, and run-of-the-mill drivers all included. As reviewers, we obviously try to take a step back from our initial, uninformed first feelings about a vehicle in an effort to make an objective appraisal. But the truth is that sometimes it can be hard to look at something that you are instinctively drawn to, and then find fault with it. We want to like the cars that we like the looks of—simple truth.
Base Versus Loaded: 2012 Nissan GT-R
When you talk about accessorizing Godzilla, other people might think of a guy in a lizard suit wearing lots of jewelry and fancy shoes. You and we think of loading up the Nissan GT-R with options in an online configurator (or, for a lucky few of us, at the actual dealership).
Comparison Test: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country vs. 2011 Honda Odyssey vs. 2011 Nissan Quest
In the world of the workaday enthusiast, minivans don’t usually come to mind as the fun, stylish vehicle that drivers are clamoring to own or drive. The segment is, however, not without its charms. Especially with the advancement of technology, minivans are seeing more and more in terms of entertainment, convenience, and other ways to keep its occupants assuaged—not always an easy task when some of those occupants are antsy children. Often, it’s the addition of children—and, ultimately, belongings—to one’s life that makes a person begin to see the values of the kind of vehicle they swore they’d never own.
Winding Road Video: 2011 Nissan 370Z – Quick Drive
Last week, we spent some quality time in the 2011 Nissan 370Z. For this video, you’ll want your headphones on to fully experience the 370Z’s exhaust note.
Nissan Launches 26-City Drive Electric Tour
Nissan has announced its Drive Electric Tour, spanning 26 cities in 20 states, that will offer consumers first-hand testing of the manufacturer’s all-electric Leaf plug-in. Each event offers consumers the opportunity to talk to Leaf product specialists about driving and owning the Leaf.
Friday Video: Nissan 370Z With Akrapovič Exhaust
Akrapovič Exhaust Systems Technology has some darned tasty videos that help to show off the sound of their products. We like them for the aural experience, of course, but also for the beautiful scenery, photography, and choice of automobiles being caned for the camera. This video features a Nissan 370Z with Akrapovič exhaust.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan XTerra Pro-4X
The Nissan XTerra reminds me of my 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport I used to drive. Firstly the suspension is pretty stiff over the smaller imperfections, but there’s still a lot of bounce in the front springs. While that may seem a bit annoying driving in the city, it makes for good articulation off-road. Secondly, when I shifted the XTerra into four-wheel drive, turning becomes a wholly different affair. Especially with the steering wheel near lock in either direction, the power steering fights against you, and the car is reluctant to turn sharply. I encountered this problem in my old Jeep, and was surprised to find it in a new vehicle. It’s not a big deal, just weird, and probably alarming to a driver who hasn’t encountered it before. The third similarity was in the simplicity of the layout of instruments and switchgear—a good thing in my opinion.
New York 2011: Nissan Leaf Nismo RC Concept
Nissan is using the occasion of the New York Auto Show to unveil a new conception of its Leaf EV—a thoroughbred racing electric that’s set to be called the Leaf Nismo RC.
First Look: 2012 Nissan Versa
With an economy that is recovering but still not robust, and gasoline prices that are at $4 per gallon in most places already, and still rising, Nissan hopes that a great many buyers will see sense in its new, 2012 Versa.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S
Almost every comparable measure would make me opt for Honda’s Accord Coupe over this Altima, with the noticeable exception of exterior styling. The Honda competition has got better gearboxes, more characterful and tuneful engines, better throttle response, and nicer interior fitment. With that said, I think that looks count for a lot in the four-cylinder coupe category, and many buyers will simply be happy with something that looks this good. Styling is huge.
Driven: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
According to convention, convertibles are coupe-based. That’s fine; we love a brisk drive in a sporty little thing, and being able to lose the top and enjoy the elements on a nice day is an adventure we seek out whenever possible. But what happens when we actually need to use the car? If we were to pack the bags for a summer weekend Up North, we’re usually stuck either leaving the top up to make room in the trunk, or we forego the convertible altogether. And that, friends, is a crying shame.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV
Generally speaking, continuously variable transmissions are pretty unloved in the Winding Road office, mainly because they are attached to buzzy, I-4’s that require a very heavy foot (and therefore high revs) to really get moving. One exception to this rule comes in the form of our Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV tester. Rather than the typical CVT/four-cylinder combo, the Maxima makes use of a beefy, sweet-sounding 3.5-liter V-6, that, in a slightly different tune, once sat under the hood of a Nissan 350Z.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Juke
Switching through the gears with the six-speed manual transmission was mostly enjoyable. It’s a bit of a long throw from gear to gear. While the lever feels tall, it can still be worked quite rapidly. It almost feels like it could be some sort of rally machine when you’re tossing the shifter into place. It was also easy to select the right gear with no ambiguity, and there’s a reassuring, solid feel when the shifter lands in place.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Titan Crew Cab 4×4 SV
Despite this mid-sizer feeling, the Titan still has a truck’s V-8. The 5.6-liter powerplant produces a respectable 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque, which puts it squarely in between V-8s from Chevrolet on the low end, and Dodge and Ford on the high end. More important than numbers, though, is how the Titan’s engine feels. The 5.6 handles the Nissan’s heft with moderate ease. It isn’t fast, but the power on offer certainly makes for adequate acceleration, thanks in large part to the mountain of torque on tap.
Nissan Announces New Mobility Concept EV
Nissan has announced a new concept EV for urban detail in a zero-emissions society. Called the Nissan New Mobility Concept, it is the next step in the automaker’s goal to lead the way in emissions-free driving technology.
